Pair of Round Art Déco Drinks Trolleys with Removable Trays, Maison Jansen, France, circa 1940

This charming pair of round Art Déco drinks trolleys represents one of the most elegant and practical forms in the Maison Jansen production: a compact wheeled serving table with a removable upper tray, designed to circulate through the drawing rooms and salons of the grandest Parisian apartments. The circular form, small enough to navigate between armchairs and sofas yet generous enough to carry a full cocktail service, exemplifies the combination of practical elegance and decorative refinement that was Jansen’s signature contribution to the French interior of the inter-war period.

Maison Jansen, founded in 1880 on the Rue Royale in Paris and working for royalty, heads of state, and the international élite across three continents, was among the first French decorating houses to develop the drinks trolley as a fully conceived furniture form. In the Art Déco era, such pieces became an emblem of the sophistication and social ease of the modern Parisian interior, serving both as functional vehicles during cocktail hour and as decorative objects in their own right when stationary. The removable upper tray is a characteristic Jansen refinement, allowing the piece to serve as a conventional side table when the wheeled base is not required.

The pair is presented in excellent original condition, each trolley retaining its original finish and functional wheel assembly. The compact diameter of 34.5 cm and height of 55 cm make these pieces highly versatile, equally suited beside a sofa or as serving tables in a dining room. A charming and immediately recognisable example of the Jansen Art Déco production, combining elegance with functional intelligence.